love-boat.jpg*** If you’re like me, the time between cruises can be pretty dreary.  Well now it doesn’t have to be: the original Love Boat TV series has just been released on DVD.  Now Captain Stubing, perky cruise director Julie and witty bartender Isaac can keep us amused and entertained between cruises.

Princess Cruises announced the big news and with good reason:  the cruise line — and the cruise industry — grew in leaps and bounds because of the popularity of the show, which first aired 31 years ago.  Filmed during actual cruises aboard the Pacific Princess (now retired), season one, volume one includes the first 12 episodes from the inaugural season on three discs priced at $39.99 at Loveboat DVD where you’ll also find a Princess contest awarding a seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise for two.  (Note: The DVD is priced at $24.99 on Amazon.)

*** Celebrity Cruises has announced itineraries for its second Solstice-class ship, Celebrity Equinox, which will enter service August 8, 2009 with a season of Europe cruises. The inaugural voyage will be a 10-night “Best of Europe” itinerary from Southampton to Rome, calling on ports in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy, as well as the United Kingdom’s Gibraltar, along the way. Celebrity Equinox then will sail a series of 13- and 14-night “Ancient Empires” cruises featuring two new ports of call: Haifa and Ashdod, Israel. These voyages also include an overnight stay in Alexandria, Egypt. These sailings will take place
August 18; August 31, September 13, September 26, October 10, and
October 23, and include additional calls in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel and Egypt.

On November 5, the ship will make a repositioning voyage to Fort Lauderdale where she will subsequently begin a series of alternating 11- and 10-night “Ultimate Caribbean” voyages.

Celebrity Captain’s Club members may book Celebrity Equinox’s 2009 cruises beginning March 13 through travel agents.  Additional information will be available at a special Celebrity Equinox web site beginning March 6.